1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to dust caps and in particular to dust caps for use with multiple types of telecommunications adapters and connectors.
2. Prior Art
Dust caps are used to prevent optical fiber adapters and connectors from being contaminated by dust, dirt, etc. Most existing adapter manufacturers utilize an industry-standard, soft-polymer dust cap for ST adapters and a flat-surfaced, rectangular dust cap for SC adapters. These styles are difficult to install and equally difficult to remove. FIG. 1A is a cross sectional view of a conventional dust cap 12 mounted to an ST adapter 10. Conventional ST dust caps have several drawbacks. First, the dust cap 12 is generally cylindrical and does not provide any surface for gripping the dust cap during removal. In addition, the ST adapter includes keying posts 14 which prevent the dust cap 12 from making a good seal against the adapter body. Accordingly, dust can ingress into the inside of the ST adapter and deteriorate performance of the optical fiber coupled at the adapter 10.
Conventional SC dust caps are effective dust caps, but are typically difficult to install and to remove. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a conventional SC dust cap mounted to an SC adapter 13. Both simplex and duplex SC dust caps include a segment 15 which inserts into the SC adapter cavity and a rectangular head 11 (whose thickness is approximately 1/8 inch) which seats against the facial end of the adapter 13. To remove the cap, once installed, one must attempt to grip this rectangular head 11. Since the width and length of head 11 is the same as (or very close to) the width and length of the adapter itself, and because the head 11 thickness is relatively thin (1/8"), it is difficult to grip this head 11 in order to pull it out of the SC adapter 13. The width and length of the head 11 cannot be increased (which could provide an improved gripping surface) due to the constraints arising from the need to be able to install the adapter 13 through the standard rectangular panel cut-out with dust caps in place. Hence, if the head 11 was any larger, it wouldn't fit through the cut-out.